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Declan R.
Background Information
Background Information
The Inca empire resides on the Andes mountains. the Andes mountains has incredibly harsh and rough terrain, making traversal incredibly difficult. The Andes mountains has many high and lowlands which creates large chasms and raging rivers. if people in the Inca empire wanted to traverse it, they'd be out of luck. The Andes mountain area was simply too severe for anyone to travel it. That is, it would be if the hadn't invented the suspension Bridge.
A suspension bridge being built
How they were made
How they were made
Inca suspension bridges had 2 main variants, one were the bridge was hanging bellow by the cables, and one were the road was laid across the cables. The cables were comprised of mainly dried plant matter and in some cases, leather was woven in. The first step of construction was to string the cables across the chasm or river. Next, two master craftsmen on both sides would work from the outside in, placing wooden planks as they went.
A old lady selling textiles in a market
Connection
Connection
Suspension Bridges allowed for the connection of independent villages, facilitating trade among said villages. This can be seen with the Q’eswachaka, where 4 villages depended on it to communicate and trade between themselves.
A map of the Inca empire at its peak
Expansion
Expansion
The Andes mountains have many chasms and rivers which makes traversal in the Inca empire nearly impossible. The suspension bridge allowed the Inca empire to cross these said chasms, allowing them to traverse to places they never had have before.
A image of the golden gate bridge
Modern Bridges
Modern Bridges
Inca suspension bridges paved the way for future suspension bridges. We know that the Incas had suspension bridges before the Europeans because the bridges in the Inca empire date further back than any in Europe.
The Q'eswachaka bridge
Q’eswachaka Bridge
Q’eswachaka Bridge
Q'eswachaka Brigde is one of the most famous and few remaining Inca suspension bridges. A longstanding tradition of rebuilding the suspension bridge every year still continues to this day.
The Tinkuqchaka Bridge
Tinkuqchaka Bridge
Tinkuqchaka Bridge
A less well known but still impressive Inca suspension bridge, The Tinkuqchaka. This bridge crosses the pampas river. Similar to the Q'eswachaka bridge, the Tinkuqchaka bridge is also re- built annually.
This website has lots of information about the inca empire and many of their achievements
If you want Information on best spots for tourism, this website provides some great spots like Q'eswachaka
This article provides lots of valuable knowledge on how and where many unique Incan suspension bridges, such as the Arizpana bridge, are made and maintained
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